Baroda fireworks stick to roots

BARODA, Mich. – Thousands of people flocked to Baroda on Tuesday to see its annual fireworks show. While the town was getting all set up for the big show, we ran into one of the "Founding Fathers" of the event that’s some 50 years in the making.

"I like it, it’s something that we started and it’s gotten bigger and bigger," said Chuck Trapp.

Trapp worked for the Baroda Fire Department for a number of years.

He said one year back in the 1960s, a group of people made their own fireworks and set them off for the community, but the following year they decided not to do it. So that’s when Trapp and his friends stepped in.

"We ordered them out of Toledo, went and picked them up on a certain day about a week before fireworks," said Trapp.

Trapp said the fire department would set up all the fireworks and even set them off.

"We’d keep them in an ambulance they’d only bring us each one at a time so we didn’t get in trouble with them you know," Trapp added.

He said they continued this routine until the 1980’s when electronic firework displays started to be the norm which is what you see today.

The tradition in Baroda remains the same, but this time around Trapp actually gets to see the fireworks.

"See when we shot them, you weren’t going to see any fireworks because we didn’t have time to look up and watch our fireworks," said Trapp.

Five other fire departments came to assist the Baroda Department this year.

Just like the years before all the donations from this year’s show will go to fund next years.